Although Neurontin was originally approved as an epilepsy drug, doctors often prescribed it for pain due to nerve damage from diabetes or other illnesses.

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After winning the World Cup with England in November 2003 Wilkinson played just 58 minutes during the rest of the season due to nerve damage.

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Lyrica was finally approved on the last day of 2004--but solely as a treatment for pain due to nerve damage from shingles or diabetes and as a controlled substance.

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Instead, doctors found that Neurontin helped with many other ailments, particularly pain caused by nerve damage due to conditions like shingles and diabetes. (This is called neuropathic pain.) That put Warner-Lambert in a bind, because it could not promote the drug for these unapproved uses.

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He successfully returned to the game after treatment, but in May 2003 he was put on dialysis three times a week due to deterioration in his kidney function, with the treatment's side effects leaving him with severe nerve damage in his feet and legs.

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